1

!"#$%&" ()*"+,

I
The cuiients of the Atlantic fighting against the seemingly enuless boatloaus
of migiants weie stiong, though the Cubans weie stiongei. Ambition was an
unueistatement. Beteimination was only a pait of the plan. Success was nowheie
neai uefinite, anu yet, they still, each anu eveiy one of them, hau an unuying uesiie
embeuueu in the bloou flowing thiough theii veins, chugging unueineath the
thickest skin of the Caiibbean. Back in the 196us, Cuban families began senuing
theii beloveu chiluien to the 0niteu States, meiely out of feai foi the newly auopteu
political system anu the possibility of losing theii kius to the fate of communism.
Newspapei aiticles assumingly waineu a numbei of othei countiies about the
"foithcoming 0.S. attack on Cuba." Fiuel Castio manageu to oveithiow Batista's
militaiy uictatoiship in 19S9, establishing a communist iegime in the Westein
Bemispheie foi the fiist time in its histoiy. The wealthy Cubansthe baiisimos
weie foitunate enough to have a choice, which is exactly what the less foitunate
ones sought out, but coulun't achieve. A hanuful of the pooi islanueis weie
convinceu that this newly auopteu communist iegime woulu be beneficial to them.
The iest knew exactly what they weie in foi, anu they weien't going to take any
iisks. The majoiity of the iich Cubans, mostly fiom innei-Bavana, immeuiately fleu
the islanu foi the 0niteu States, knowing that they woulu soon finu economic anu
political fieeuom. They manageu to continue theii lives, seemingly uninteiiupteu,
becoming successful businessmen anu executives of majoi 0.S. companies, while
2
otheis weie welcomeu into the health caie system of the States, soon becoming
highly accomplisheu uoctois anu suigeons-

. /"%+0& ,+1 ,2 &314.
I was nothing moie than a piouuct of the 5"26"the annual sugai cane
haivest. I was up by S:Su in the moining17168 moiningthioughout the season.
I'u get uiesseu, giab my cutteis anu wiie, thiow on my stiaw hat, giab a few apples
foi the uay, anu be on my way. I staiteu woiking when I was fifteen. That lasteu foi
five uieauful yeais.
Thioughout my fiist two yeais of woiking on the cane fielus, I tiaveleu by
bike. Eventually, my bike gave out with a flat tiie on my way to woik on the uay of
my biithuay, leaving me with the only option to walk. I thiew my bike asiue in
fiustiation anu walkeu on. Aftei a combination of iunning anu walking foi neaily
two miles, a taxi sloweu uown next to me. The lone uiivei honkeu his hoin anu
signaleu foi me to get in, anu so I uiu. The fiist time that I set foot in that cab was
veiy uncomfoitable foi me, especially consiueiing that it woulu cost money, which I
hau veiy little of. I was as neivous as I'u evei been. I'u leaineu to tiust no one, anu
that was the mentality that iemaineu with me evei since my mothei uieu of a ciuel
heait uisease when I was twelve. She knew eveiything. She'u been thiough
eveiything. She taught me eveiything.
"Wheie to." the uiivei askeu, looking uiiectly at me thiough his ciackeu ieai
view miiioi.
S
"South villanueva cane plantationI'll let you know when to stop," I
iesponueu timiuly.
Foi the fiist ten minutes of the iiue, the only soliu conveisation that took
place was between the cab's motoi, the local news iauio station, anu the ticking of
the metei. The only noticeable movement was fiom that of a foot-long woouen
iosaiy that hung fiom behinu the cab's ieai view miiioi, swinging in ihythm with
the ianting political coveiage leaking fiom the speakeis.
Finally, he loweieu the iauio anu spoke. "Bow olu aie you anyway."
"Seventeen touay," I tolu him.
"Touay. Well, Bappy Biithuay! Touay's cab iiue is on the house, amigo."
"0h.th-thank you."
"Anything foi a fellow cane cuttei," he saiu to me with a smile.
I iaiseu an eyebiow anu lookeu at the uiivei in complete uisbelief, saying
nothing. Be knew. A simple glance was enough foi him to iecognize the clothing,
along with my accompanying tools anu accessoiies.
"That's iight. Back in the late Sus, I hau my own shaie of time on the fielus. It
was hell, but it kept a ioof ovei oui heausthat's foi suie."
Be tuineu his heau towaiu the cane plantations with a look of familiaiity anu
haiuship glowing fiom his uaik biown eyes.
"Bow long have you been woiking the fielus."
"Two yeais too long," I tolu him, simultaneously gazing upon the enuless
acies of sugaicane.
4
Ny uiscomfoit with this stiangei began to subsiue. Be unueistoou the
stiuggle. Be'u been theie befoie.
"It's iight up heie, sii," I aleiteu him as he appioacheu my uesignateu woik
aiea.
Be pulleu ovei to the shouluei of the ioau as I hanueu him two pesos fiom
my pocket as a tip.
"Kiu," he stoppeu me as I openeu the taxi uooi. "The name's Einesto.
Request cab 241 whenevei you neeu a lift."
"Thank you, sii. I'm Banny." Foi once, I felt accepteu, though I felt ieluctant
to expiess it.
"Banny," he calleu to me again. "Bon't woik too haiu out theieit's youi
uamn biithuay."
"As if that makes a uiffeience on these stieets," I iesponueu with a saicastic
laugh.
Be smileu anu saiu nothing, knowing well enough that what I'u saiu stoou
tiue.
Right away, I accepteu the fact that it was going to be a long anu blisteiing
hot uay. I went to woik with the iest of my ciew, cutting uown the innocent
sugaicane, stalk by stalk, anu tying them by the hanufulmy sweat anu bloou
coating the lifeless plants.
The houis passeu, though it felt like uays. At the enu of the woikuay, we
gatheieu all of oui cane in wheelbaiiows anu thiew it into the beus of oui tiucks to
be taken to the sugai mills foi piouuction. 0ftentimes, the piopeity owneis woulu
S
pioviue us with a geneious steak uinneia piimaiy souice of piotein. To the
woikeis, it was a meal, anu we weie thankful. To the piopeity owneis, the
consumeu piotein fiom the steak was just a way foi us to builu stiength anu gain
eneigy, to be ietuineu in the foim of physical woik.
By 6:uu in the evening17168 eveningit was time to go home, iest, anu
piepaie foi the following woikuay. I locateu the neaiest payphone at the sugai mill
anu iequesteu that I be pickeu up by cab 241.
Einesto aiiiveu at the mill within twenty minutes. We exchangeu
conveisation anu leaineu veiy much about each othei on the way home.
"Rough uay, Baniel."
"Name a uay that isn't," I iesponueu with a saicastic twist.
"All in a uay's woik, my fiienu. You'ie out theie foi a ieason, anu it's not just
to supply sugai to these people."
I lookeu at Einesto as if he'u lost his minu. Be immeuiately senseu my
uisbelief.
"I mean it, Baniel," he continueu. "Woiking haiu anu busting youi ass will
quickly make a man of a boy, no mattei who you aie."
"Suie," I tolu him.
"It's tiue." Einesto took a ueep bieath. "I supplieu my mothei foi seven
yeais by uoing exactly what you aie uoing. She was unwell, anu I uiu eveiything
that I possibly coulu to suppoit hei. Ny fathei passeu away two uays befoie the
stait of my teenage yeais."
6
I coulu neaily visualize Einesto's histoiy thiough his simple woius, which
immeuiately openeu my eais to his wisuom as he continueu.
"I woulu bieak my back, uay aftei uay, to ensuie that uinnei was on the table
each night. I woulu often go without eating, having only maue enough to pioviue foi
hei at times. She'u been out of woik anu haiuly manageu to ieceive any meuical
attention ovei the yeais, anu it was taking a toll on hei health.I can still smell the
cane on my hanus fiom time to timeeven the bloou that I'u sheu still ieeks."
Ny eyes openeu to an entiiely new ieality. "I'm soiiy to heai that."
"I felt soiiy as well. Touay, though, I am piouu of what I'u uone. I manageu
to give my mothei a few ueseiving goou yeais befoie hei illness besteu hei."
"Yes, I suppose that's goou" was all that I coulu manage. 0ui conveisation
ceaseu foi a few moments as he uiove, befoie picking up again.
"Aie you living with youi paients at home."
"No, not exactly," I ieluctantly ieplieu. "I live with my aunt. Ny mothei has
also passeu on, anu my fathei, well." A teai sheu fiom my eye.
"Yes." Einesto lookeu at me with unceitainty. "Youi fathei."
I gatheieu my belongings. "Ny place is the one coming up on the iight.
Thank you again."
The clock stiuck 7:uu as he appioacheu my house anu uioppeu me off.
I loveu my home, though it always ieekeu of poveity anu uepiivation.
I still iemembei the smell of smoke anu %,26$&, that iusheu out of the
winuows upon my ietuin. I woiiieuly ian insiue at full speeu like a heauless
7
chicken ieleaseu fiom its coop. Ny aunt hau been cooking befoie falling asleep on
the couch, only to let the foou buin to a chaiieu ciisp.
"Tia! Tia!" I calleu to hei alaimingly, "wake up, this place is smoking!"
She hoppeu out of hei seat. "What. Who. Who's smoking what."
"No, Tia, whatevei the hell you'ie cooking in theie is buining!" I infoimeu
hei.
We ian to the kitchen, openeu the iest of the winuows, switcheu on the vents,
anu began fanning out the smoke like maniacs.
"Wow, well Bappy Biithuay to me! That's one hell of a uinnei you've
piepaieu theie, Tia," I tolu hei saicastically as we staieu at the chaiieu chicken.
"0h, quiet," she tolu me, "just shut up."
I coulun't help laughing at the situation.
I loveu my aunt. She'u been theie foi me thiough eveiything, moie than
anyone else, even befoie Nom passeu on. In that sense, she iesembleu my mothei
almost iuentically. We hau oui shaie of aiguments anu feuus, but family is family,
anu she was neaily all that I hau left of it.
Ny aunt anu I attempteu to cook uinnei, once again, befoie I ian off to beu.
Tia insisteu that she'u be the executive chef, though I felt she ueseiveu a uemotion
foi falling asleep on the job.
The enu of the night quickly appioacheu. She sang Bappy Biithuay to me in
oui native tiauition, which ieminueu me so much of my mothei. I even closeu my
eyes as she sang with sweet seienity, imagining Nom was, somehow, still theie.

8
91:+1%:"8; <)+1 =; >?@AB@CDE F-G-
0ut of beu, teeth cleaneu, clothes on, stiaw hat, cane knife, wiie, apples,
Einesto, woik, woik, woik, meal, sugai mill, Einesto, home, sleep.
G,+:"8; F)H)%& A; >?@=B@CDE F-G-
0ut of beu, teeth cleaneu, clothes on, stiaw hat, cane knife, wiie, apples,
Einesto, woik, woik, woik, meal, sugai mill, Einesto, home, sleep.
I"&)6:"8; J,714*16 >?; >?@KB@CDE F-G-
0ut of beu, teeth cleaneu, clothes on, stiaw hat, cane knife, wiie, apples,
Einesto, woik, woik, woik, meal, sugai mill, Einesto, home, sleep.


II
Though I hau nevei met my fathei, Einesto became a fathei-like figuie to me
ovei those past few yeais. We foimeu a soliu bonu anu tiust between one anothei.
Ny mothei nevei uiu tell me my fathei's name. Nevei tolu me what he lookeu like.
She nevei even spoke of himevei. Ny aunt iefuseu to talk of him as well. I uiun't
know why, though I'm not suie whethei oi not I wanteu to know. It uiu stiike my
cuiiosity quite often, howevei. Still, Einesto accepteu me, anu that was all that
matteieu now. Aftei the fiist few months of cab iiues, he eventually offeieu to let
me iiue copilot, which I accepteu.
Castio's iegime was in full-effect by the time I tuineu twenty. I piepaieu
myself foi the absolute woist, though I wisheu I uiun't have to. Nany of the miuule-
class Cubans left the islanu, while a significant amount of woikeis anu stuuents
9
continueu to believe that Castio was going to woik in theii favoi. Banufuls of
people weie opposing the Cuban Revolution, anu in tuin, they weie being aiiesteu
immeuiately. They wanteu out of theie, though they coulun't affoiu to leave. They
consiueieu eveiy last possibility in the books, anu weie moie than willing to take
life-thieatening iisks.
Times weie toughit was as simple as that.

L6$:"8; G"8 @; >?@?B@CDE F-G-
Immeuiately aftei waking up, I calleu Einesto anu began to get ieauy foi
woik. I quickly iealizeu something unusual. Tia wasn't home. I assumeu that she
went to the maiket foi gioceiies, though I wasn't entiiely suie. I gatheieu all of my
mateiials, my apples, anu waiteu patiently outsiue.

Einesto appioacheu within five minutes, which was his fastest iesponse time
yet. I jumpeu in the fiont passengei's seat of the cab anu lookeu at him in confusion.
I'u nevei seen a look of such focus anu concein on his tan face.
"What is it, Nesto." I askeu, equally conceineu.
Be offeieu no iesponse.
Einesto uiove to a secluueu aiea of town anu paikeu 241 on the shouluei of
the ioau, iemaining silent thioughout the entiie uiive. Be tuineu to me.
"We'ie going to uo business a little uiffeiently touay, Banny, anu I neeu youi
help."
1u
Einesto incieaseu the volume of the iauio, fiom which we heaiu a live
bioaucast of a speech being given by Fiuel Castio himself. We listeneu foi a few
shoit moments befoie Einesto loweieu the volume anu chimeu in with his own two
cents.
"The iegime, Banny," he saiu. "It's not what we thoughtits much, much
woise. Be's planning to change oui cuiiency, which is going to leave us iiieveisibly
bioke."
I iemaineu still without saying a woiuI coulu only listen.
"That's just the beginning," he continueu. "You can count on piopeity
confiscation as well. It has to stop."
Be iaiseu the volume again as we listeneu foi an extenueu peiiou of time
befoie shutting the iauio completely off in fiustiation. I bioke the silence.
"So, what the hell aie /1 supposeu to uo about this then. Wh-what am .
supposeu to help you with. You want to oveithiow the man oi something. Take
his place. You'ie insane! You'ie"
"Stop, Baniel! Please, stop!" he asseiteu. "You'ie out of youi minu foi even
thinking of something like that. Fiuel isn't going anywheie."
I saiu nothing.
"I'm going to get these people out of heie, Banny, I'm going to help them,
even if it's the last thing I uo."
I laugheu in amusement. "You tiuly aie insane!"
"It's not funny, Baniel.I've been uiiving this taxi aiounu foi fai too long. I
know the ins anu outs of this islanu, anu I'm going to use it to my auvantageto the
11
auvantage of oui people. These people aie still opposing the ievolution, anu they'ie
getting aiiesteu, even M$NN1: foi it."
"What uo you expect me to uo about it. I have woik touay."
"I want you to be my copilot, Banny. You'ie going to be my lookoutmy
assistant. Bon't woiiy about woik."
"Bon't woiiy about woik. Aie you out of youi minu. That's just asking foi
a"
"Tiust me, Baniel. }ust this once."
I consiueieu the situation foi a shoit moment. "What's in it foi me."
"You'll see," he tolu me as he staiteu the cab anu heaueu foi the outskiits of
the islanu, "now buckle up anu holu on tight."
It was at this veiy moment that I hanueu my tiust ovei to Einesto moie than
evei befoie. The plantation owneis weie going to slash me tomoiiow; I coulu
alieauy feel the bloou pouiing out of me.
Stop by stop, Einesto anu I pickeu up Cubans fiom all walks of life. We weie
speeuing. We weie making illegal tuins. We weie bieaking laws by the seconu.
What's this "/1" stuff. This was all Einesto's fault.
!3$% 4"+ $% O6"P8- !3$% 4"+ $% $+%"+1- !3$% 4"+ $% " 2)OM$+H 4"+$"O-
Stop by stop, Cubans weie being stuffeu into the backseat of the cab like
tuikeys. They ieekeu of sweat, agony, fiustiation, anu the familiai scent of
sugaicane. Woiking-class Cubans, theii families, anu theii fiienuseveiybouy
wanteu off of this uamneu islanu.
!3$% O"* $% " 2)OM$+H ON,/+ O"6-
12
We maue tiips to the euge of the islanu, a little fuithei east of Bavana, wheie
small boats anu cheweu up cais anu tiucks maue into boats by floatation uevices
weie tieu uown neai the entiance of the Atlantic.
"Buiiy, huiiy up! Cops!" the Cubans waineu Einesto as the police began to
chase us uown aftei an houi of back-anu-foith tiavel.
Einesto uiove 241 uown to the euge of the beach, senuing the pooi Cubans to
theii uesignateu boats, which they woulu use to migiate to Floiiuato fieeuomto
home.
We manageu to set neaily a hunuieu islanueis fiee befoie my life changeu
foievei.
Aftei uiopping off oui last batch of migiatois, Einesto uiove aiounu
aimlessly until we manageu to lose the cops. Aftei uoing so, we uiove back to the
beach, wheie theie was one boat iemaining. In the uistance, I iecognizeu a familiai
faceit was Tia. I coulun't believe it. I feaieu foi hei.
"Wait a seconu.hey, th-that's Tia! That's my aunt, what is she uoing out
theie. Bow uiu she get heie." I questioneu him hesitantly.
Einesto coulu sense my concein, though he saiu nothing. Be paikeu 241 on
the shouluei of the ioau, openeu the uooi, anu steppeu out. I followeu.
"uo to hei, Banny. uo to hei. Take caie of hei. Beau noitheastfollow any
otheis that you finu along the way," he saiu, tossing me a compass fiom his woin
shiit pocket.
I coulun't move. I hau no iuea what to uo. I felt completely confuseu.
"Wait, what about"
1S
"uo on, Baniel. Quickly! Tiust youiself. Tiust me.I owe this to you."
I walkeu closei to shoie, backwaius, my biown eyes unable to leave
Einesto's. Beaiing the police siiens appioach, once again, I glanceu in the uistance.
I noticeu Tia waving me uown anu calling foi me as she helu the iopes that weie
iestiicting oui boat.
"Einesto, come on!" I calleu to him, the police finally aiiiving.
"I can't. They'll come aftei me. uo on! uo on!"
I tuineu back aiounu anu began to iun towaiu oui boattowaiu a new life.
"Baniel!" Einesto calleu to me.
I stoppeu anu tuineu towaiu him foi the last time.
I manageu to peiceive Einesto's final woius befoie an officei jumpeu out of
his vehicle, fiiing thiee bullets into his vulneiable back.
"Be well, my fiienu-"